The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons is the largest professional society representing oral and maxillofacial surgeons in America. The mission of AAOMS is to contribute to the public welfare by advancing the profession of dentistry and in particular the specialty of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Air Abrasion

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Many people associate the high-pitched whirring of a dental drill with pain. Just the sound alone can make many people wince.

A relatively new technique called air abrasion uses powerful particles of aluminum oxide to remove debris and decay. The most exciting thing for patients is that air abrasion is painless and, in some cases, doesn't require an anesthetic.

Air abrasion leaves behind a gritty feeling in your mouth, which is simply rinsed away almost instantaneously using a small suction device.

Tiny cracks and imperfections on a tooth can be fixed using air abrasion. Although air abrasion is not suitable for work on crowns and bridges, it is often used for bonding procedures, and on tooth restorations involving composite, or tooth-colored fillings.